Movable card with handle for cleaning printed media transport system and method of using same

ABSTRACT

A cleaning system for cleaning a media transport device includes a cleaning substrate sized and configured to be inserted within at least a portion of a media travel pathway of a media transport device. The cleaning substrate comprises a cleaning face, along with a handle extending from the cleaning face. The handle is positioned to remain outside of the media transport device while the cleaning face is within the media transport device. The cleaning face comprises a plurality of cleaning elements, each of which is positioned to align with a belt, a drive roller, an idle roller, a drive roller/idle roller pair, or a sensor of the media transport device when the cleaning substrate within the media travel pathway. Methods of using a handled cleaning substrate are also disclosed.

RELATED APPLICATIONS AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent document claims priority to, and is a continuation-in-partof, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/140,947, filed Sep. 25, 2018,which claims priority to: (1) U.S. provisional patent application No.62/562,640, filed Sep. 25, 2017; and (2) U.S. provisional patentapplication No. 62/567,796, filed Oct. 4, 2017. This patent documentalso claims priority to: (a) U.S. provisional patent application No.62/934,746, filed Nov. 13, 2019; and (b) U.S. provisional patentapplication No. 62/976,617, filed Feb. 14, 2020. The disclosures of allpriority documents listed above are fully incorporated into thisdocument by reference.

BACKGROUND

Many machines have media transport mechanisms that receive printed mediainto the machine and move the media through one or more sections of themachine to perform various processes on the media. For example, afinancial transaction terminal such as an automated teller machine maydo any or all of the following steps: (i) receive printed currencynotes, checks, receipts, coupons, tickets and other printed media; (ii)align the media to an internal reference; (iii) use a camera and/orother sensors to detect what the media is and/or what is printed on themedia; (iv) apply additional printed markings to the media; and/or (v)move the media to an appropriate shuttle, bin or exit port. The terminalmay perform some or all of these steps, and/or additional steps. Othermachines that include media transport mechanisms include couponprinters, ticket printers, ticket-taking devices and other printed mediahandling systems.

Because printed media can pass through a variety of human hands andenvironmental conditions before it is inserted into a media transportmechanism, printed media often is at least partially coated with dirt,oil and/or other contaminants. When the printed media passes through themedia transport mechanism, the contaminants can transfer from theprinted media to the mechanism's rollers, belts, other conveyors,sensors, and other components that contact or are near the printedmedia. Over time, these contaminants can build up and cause the machineto malfunction.

The removal of contaminants from a media transport mechanism is alabor-intensive and, time-consuming process. It requires a technician toopen the device and carefully clean small parts by hand. Many of theseparts are in small, hard-to-reach spaces. Thus, manual cleaning isdifficult, and it is not always effective.

This document describes methods and systems directed to solving some ofthe issues described above, and/or other issues.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, a cleaning system for cleaning a media transportdevice includes a cleaning substrate sized and configured to be insertedwithin at least a portion of a media travel pathway of a media transportdevice. The cleaning substrate comprises a cleaning face, and a handleextending from the cleaning face. The handle is positioned to remainoutside of the media transport device while the cleaning face is withinthe media transport device. The cleaning face comprises a plurality ofcleaning elements, each of which is positioned to align with a belt, adrive roller, an idle roller, a drive roller/idle roller pair, or asensor of the media transport device when the cleaning substrate iswithin the media travel pathway.

The handle may be wider than the cleaning face and positioned to extendthrough a media acceptor port of the media transport device, or toextend from a port that is not a media acceptor port of the mediatransport device, in each case when the cleaning face is inside of thedevice.

The cleaning elements may comprise discrete raised areas formed of peaksand peripheral walls that slope or otherwise extend from the peaks. Suchcleaning elements may extend from one side of the cleaning face or fromopposing sides of the cleaning face.

In addition or alternatively, the cleaning elements may comprise one orscarifying holes, each of which is positioned to align with a mediaconveyor of the media transport device.

In addition or alternatively, the cleaning elements may comprise flapsconfigured to fit under a plurality of belts of the currency transportdevice.

In addition or alternatively, the cleaning elements may comprise atleast one opening configured to align with a sensor of the currencytransport device.

In some embodiments, the cleaning substrate may comprise a cleaningsolution disposed on at least a portion of the cleaning face.

In some embodiments, the handle may comprise a gripping area with a pulltab.

This document also describes a method of cleaning a media travel pathwayof a media transport device using cleaning substrates such as thosedescribed above. The method includes inserting a cleaning substrate intoa media travel pathway of a media transport device that includes aplurality of media conveyors that comprise belts, rollers or both,and/or one or more sensors. The inserting includes grasping a handle ofthe cleaning substrate and inserting a body of the cleaning substrateinto a portal of the media transport device for the first section. Thecleaning substrate includes a cleaning face and a plurality of cleaningelements, each of which is positioned to align with one or more of themedia conveyors and/or sensors of the media transport device. The methodalso includes moving the cleaning substrate within the media transportdevice and causing, by the moving, the cleaning elements to contact andclean a plurality of the media conveyors and/or sensors within the mediatransport device.

In some embodiments, moving the cleaning substrate within the mediatransport device comprises operating a motor of the media transportdevice so that the cleaning substrate moves through a range of positionswithin the first section to cause the scarifying holes to clean aplurality of the media conveyors over the range of positions.

In some embodiments, inserting at least a portion of the cleaningsubstrate in the first section comprises inserting a cleaning surfacethat includes the cleaning elements through a media acceptor port of themedia transport device while holding the handle of the cleaningsubstrate outside of the media transport device. If so, moving thecleaning substrate within the media transport device may be caused bywiggling the handle outside of the media transport device.

In some embodiments, inserting at least a portion of the cleaningsubstrate in the first section comprises opening a module that forms themedia travel pathway and inserting a cleaning surface that includes thecleaning elements into the module while holding the handle of thecleaning substrate outside of the module.

In some embodiments, the cleaning elements comprise one or more of thefollowing: (a) discrete raised areas formed of peaks and peripheralwalls that slope or otherwise extend from the peaks; (b) one or morescarifying holes that align with belts or rollers of the media transportdevice; (c) flaps configured to fit under a plurality of belts of thecurrency transport device; or (d) at least one opening configured toalign with a sensor of the currency transport device.

In some embodiments, the handle comprises a gripping area with a pulltab, and grasping the handle comprises grasping the pull tab.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates example components of a media transport system, suchas may exist in a prior art automated teller machine or ticket takingmachine, in block diagram format.

FIG. 1B illustrates an example of an automated teller machine thatincludes the components shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 illustrates a first example configuration of a cleaning substratewith scarifying holes.

FIG. 3 illustrates another example configuration of a cleaning substratewith scarifying holes and a locking member.

FIG. 4 illustrates a process by which a cleaning substrate may cleanrollers of a media transport system.

FIG. 5 illustrates a process by which a cleaning substrate may clean abelt of a media transport system.

FIG. 6 illustrates another example configuration of a cleaningsubstrate, with flaps for use in cleaning a belt. This embodiment alsoincludes a handle that may be used to move the card while the card iswithin a media travel pathway.

FIG. 7 illustrates how sensors may be used with a cleaning substrate.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of using a cleaningsystem of a type consistent with that shown by way of example in FIGS.2-7.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment in which the cleaning substrate isattached to a scroll from which the substrate may be withdrawn, and intowhich the substrate may be retracted.

FIG. 10 illustrates a cleaning card with discrete raised areaspositioned on its cleaning face.

FIG. 11 illustrates a cleaning card with a gripping area and pull tabthat serve as a handle.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an additional method of operating acleaning system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In this document, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include pluralreferences unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term“comprising” means “including, but not limited to.” Similarly, the term“comprises” means “includes, and is not limited to.” Unless definedotherwise, all technical and scientific terms used in this document havethe same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in theart.

In this document, terms that are descriptive of position such as “upper”and “lower”, “horizontal”, “vertical” and the like are intended toindicate relative positions with respect to the components for whichthose terms are descriptive, and are not intended to be absolute andrequire that the component remain in that absolute position in allconfigurations. Except where specifically stated otherwise, numericdescriptors such as “first”, “second”, etc. are not intended todesignate a particular order, sequence or position in an overall processor schema, but instead are simply intended to distinguish various itemsfrom each other by describing them as a first item, a second item, etc.

The terms “media transport system” and “media transport device” refer toa set of hardware components that are configured to receive printedmedia (i.e., a substrate onto which text and/or graphics have beenprinted) and move the printed media through one or more modules thatperform various processing steps on the printed media, such as positionadjustment, sensing, printing and/or delivery to a final destination. A“currency transport device” or “currency transport system” is a type ofmedia transport device that is configured to process and dispense,accept or otherwise convey printed financial instruments such ascurrency notes, checks, money orders, bank notes and the like. Othertypes of media transport devices include financial transaction cardreaders, ticket-taking machines, and the like.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram that illustrates example components of amedia transport system, such as may exist in a prior art automatedteller machine or ticket taking machine. FIG. 1B illustrates an exampleof an automated teller machine that includes the components shown inFIG. 1A. The machine includes a housing 120 that contains the mediatransport system. As shown in FIG. 1B, optionally the housing mayinclude a door 121 and one or more extendible rails 122, shuttles, orother movable mechanisms that may be used to remove at least part of themedia transport system from the housing 120.

The media transport system includes components such as a receiver 111that includes belts, rollers or other conveying mechanisms that willreceive media into the system via a media portal—i.e., an opening in thehousing. The media transport system also may include a separator module112 that includes belts, rollers or other media conveyor devices thatseparate stacked printed media, such as stacked checks or currencynotes. In currency transport systems, such rollers are sometimesreferred to as “pick rollers” or “pick wheels.” The media transportsystem also may include an alignment module 113 that includes belts,rollers or other conveying mechanisms that will adjust a position of themedia with respect to an internal reference point. The media transportsystem also may include an imaging system 114 with a camera and/or othersensors and associated programming that can detect what the media isand/or what is printed on the media. The media transport system also mayinclude a transport module 115 with one or more belts, rollers or othermedia conveyors that will move the printed media to an appropriatedestination 116 such as a shuttle, bin or exit port. The media transportsystem also may include other modules, such as a printer that can applyadditional printed markings to the printed media. The areas within eachmodule through which the printed media passes form a media travelpathway from the receiver's intake to the final destination.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a cleaning system that includes acleaning substrate 201, which sometimes may be referred to as a cleaningcard, that may be used to clean various components of a media transportsystem such as that shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The cleaning substrateincludes a cleaning face 202 (which as shown is an upper face) and anopposing face (not shown, since it is under cleaning face 202) that mayor may not also be a cleaning face. In this embodiment and in each otherembodiment described in this document, at least one of the cleaningfaces may be coated with a cleaning solution such as a solvent so thatinternal components of the media transport system may be cleaned whenthe components move along or across the cleaning face of the substrate.Example cleaning solutions include isopropyl alcohol, deionized water,alkaline surfactants, and other materials or combinations of these.Alternatively, a cleaning face may be textured or made of fiber thatwill promote friction when a movable object is moved against thecleaning face. The cleaning substrate may be made of a flexible,tear-resistant material such as a fibrous aramid or meta-aramid fabricmaterial such as that marketed under the NOMEX® brand; a cellulosicmaterial; a flexible polymeric substrate provided with thin, non-wovenlayers made of absorbent material such as that marketed under theSONTARA® brand; a sponge made of polyurethane or other type of foam; ora combination of any of these, such as a sponge coated with a fabric,non-woven absorbent or cellulosic material.

At least a portion of the cleaning substrate has a length and width thatis sized and shaped to fit within the media travel pathway of thetransport device with which the cleaning substrate is intended to beused. As used in this document, the term “fit within” does notnecessarily mean that the substrate is entirely held within the mediatravel pathway, as a handle or other extension of the substrate mayextend from the media travel pathway outside of the transport device sothat a person can hold and move it into and out of the device. Anexample is handle 317 as shown in FIG. 3, as well as the handles such asare generally known on “T-cards” that have a handle portion that iswider than an insertable portion. However, in some optional embodimentsthe cleaning substrate will be retained completely within the mediatravel pathway. In some optional embodiments, no portion of thesubstrate will extend from a media acceptor port (such as a currencyacceptor slot) of the transport device.

The cleaning substrate will include multiple cleaning structures, eachof which is positioned to align with and clean a belt, drive roller,idle roller, drive roller/idle roller pair, and/or one or more sensorsof the media transport device. Other cleaning structures may includediscrete raised areas made of peaks and peripheral walls that slope orotherwise extend from the peaks, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 8,323,779, the disclosure of which is incorporated into thisdocument by reference.

For example, referring to FIG. 3, the cleaning substrate will includemultiple scarifying holes 312, 313 that are positioned to align over,under, or in between rollers of the media transport device. A scarifyinghole is an opening created and positioned to provide a scraping edgeagainst which another item may be scraped so that debris or othercontaminants on the item's surface are scraped and thus removed viamovement of the scarifying hole, the item or both. Referring to FIG. 4,the substrate 401 includes a scarifying hole 411 sized and positioned tofit between an idle roller 423 and drive roller 425 of the mediatransport system. In normal operation when the media transport systemreceives printed media, the drive roller 425 presses against the media,and a motor turns the drive roller 425 to move the media through themedia travel pathway. The idle roller 423 is positioned proximate to thedrive roller 425 to serve as a backstop for the force of the driveroller 425. The printed media passes between the idle roller 423 anddrive roller 425. In a cleaning operation, the drive roller 425 isactivated but the cleaning substrate remains stationary, anchored in thetransport path by the locking structure(s). The scarifying hole 411receives the idle roller 423 and/or the drive roller 425 so that one orboth rollers scrape along the edges of the scarifying hole 411 and arethus cleaned. In configurations that only use a drive roller without anidle roller, the drive roller may be received into the scarifying hole.

The drive rollers and/or idle rollers of other drive roller 435/idleroller 433 pairs that are not aligned with the scarifying hole 411 willbe wiped by the cleaning substrate. Then, when the cleaning substrate ismoved to a different position in the media transport path (and adifferent locking member receptacle or media transport system post isused to lock the cleaning substrate in the different position) the otherdrive roller 435/idle roller 433 pair may be aligned with the scarifyinghole 411 or a different scarifying hole in the substrate.

Scarifying holes also may be sized and positioned to align with andaccept one or more belts or other moving parts of the media travelpathway. For example, referring to FIG. 5, one or more axles 522, whenactivated, turn a belt 525 while the cleaning substrate is positionedwithin the media travel pathway. If the scarifying hole has a width thatsmaller than, or at least no greater than, the width of the belt 525,the belt 525 will be scraped by the scarifying hole 511 and wiped by thecleaning substrate 501. In addition, if the scarifying hole 511 ispositioned to align with the axle 522, the axle 522 may help push asegment of the belt 525 into the scarifying hole 511 to promote scrapingof the belt 525 along the edge of the scarifying hole 511.

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative to FIG. 5 in which, as an alternativeto (or in addition to) a scarifying hole, a belt scraper is formed byone or more inwardly-facing flaps 618 a, 618 b that may be liftedupward, pressed downward, or otherwise moved so that the belt may bepositioned under or over each flap. Each flap 618 a, 618 b will have atleast one side that is attached to the cleaning substrate and at leastone edge that is cut away from the substrate so that it can be lifted orpressed and receive the belt. The edge may be a single curved edge asshown, or multiple angled edges may be used. As the belt is operated,the cut-away edge of the flap will scrape the belt. The face of thecleaning substrate also may wipe the belt. In addition, both sides ofthe belt may brush across the cleaning surface of the substrate and theflap as the belt passes over the substrate and under the flap (or overthe flap and under the substrate). This may result in the deposit ofdirt, oil or other contaminants 634 on the cleaning substrate, as shownin FIG. 6. Optionally, the flaps 618 a, 618 b may be adjacent to ascarifying hole 611. In some embodiments, the flaps 618 a, 618 b mayhold the cleaning substrate in a position by contact with the beltsduring operation.

The embodiment of FIG. 6 also illustrates an embodiment with a handle617 for grasping while inserting a body 613 of the substrate into themedia transport device. The handle 617 is positioned so that it willremain outside of the media transport device whole the body 613, whichincludes a cleaning surface, is within the media transport device. Insome embodiments the handle 617 may extend from the currency acceptorport (or other media acceptor port) of the device when in use. In otherembodiments, the handle 617 may extend from a portal that is not a mediaacceptor port (such as the portals discussed below in the context ofFIG. 8). The handle 617 can also be used to move the body 613 inward andoutward, and optionally to wiggle the card from side to side, to movethe body over a range of positions. The addition of a handle is notlimited to the embodiment of FIG. 6; other embodiments (such asembodiments with scarifying holes with or without flaps, embodimentswith belt scrapers, embodiments with holes that align with sensors as inFIG. 7) may include a handle.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a cleaning system that includes acleaning substrate 1101 that includes a cleaning face 1102 (which asshown is an upper face) and an opposing face (not shown, since it isunder cleaning face 1102) that may or may not also be a cleaning face.In the example card 1101 shown in FIG. 11, the cleaning surface 1102 ismade up of some or all of the top or bottom of the card 1101. Either orboth surfaces of the cleaning card 1101 may hold a cleaning solution,which is transferred to components of the media transport device duringuse. In addition, although not shown in FIG. 11, the cleaning surface1102 and optionally both surfaces may include cleaning elements asdescribed in the other embodiments. An area adjacent to one end of thecard 1101 is a gripping area 1104 that will be visible and accessible toa human operator when placed in operation in a media transport device.In some embodiments, the gripping area 1104 may include a pull tab 1103to facilitate gripping, so that the gripping area and pull tab togetherserve as a handle. The pull tab 1103 may be in the form of a hole of anyshape within the gripping area (as with the circular hole of FIG. 11).However, other pull tab structures may be attached to or integral withthe gripping area 1104, including loops, fins, or other items thatattach to or extend from the gripping area while remaining secured tothe gripping area 1104.

Referring to FIG. 7, in some embodiments scarifying holes or other holes711 of the cleaning substrate 701 also may be sized and positioned toalign with one or more sensors 722 within the media travel pathway. Sucha sensor 722 may include a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, atemperature sensor, and/or any other sensor that is available in themedia transport system and may, in some embodiments, include atransmitter 723 a and receiver 723 b as is shown in FIG. 7. The mediatransport device may use the sensor 722 to detect the position of thecleaning substrate 701 within the media travel pathway (e.g., based onpressure or optical data determine whether the sensor is over ascarifying hole). In addition, in some media transport systems one ormore sensors 722 may be used to detect and issue an alert indicatingwhether the device is jammed and media is not moving through the mediatravel pathway; if so, the placement of a scarifying hole 711 or otheropening under such a sensor can help avoid the media transport systemstopping. Instead of a hole, the opening may be a transparent materialso that the media sensor does not detect the substrate when the openingis positioned over the media sensor. The system knows that the cleaningsubstrate is in proper position when it detects the hole because if thehole 711 or opening not been positioned under the sensor 722, the sensor722 would have detected the presence of the non-moving substrate andthus detected that the cleaning substrate is not moving through thedevice. Optionally, the sensor 722 also may be used to alert an operatorthat he or she has placed the cleaning substrate in a proper positionmay be cleaned. For example, when the sensor 722 detects a hole, it maycause a user interface associated with the media output device to outputan audible or visual alert indicating that the cleaning substrate is ina proper cleaning position, but if the sensor 722 does not detect a holeit may cause the user interface to output an alert indicating that thecleaning substrate is not in a proper cleaning position.

Referring back to FIG. 2, in some embodiments one or more of thescarifying holes 211 may include a scraper 217 that is attached to oneor more edges of the scarifying hole. The scraper 217 extends inwardlytoward the center of the scarifying hole 211. Referring to FIG. 4,depending on whether the alignment of the scraper 417 is positionedcloser to an upper face, closer to a lower face, or centrally within thescarifying hole, the scraper may provide additional scraping forceagainst the idle roller 423 and/or the drive roller 425.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example cleaning face 1001 with discrete raisedareas made of peaks 1003 and peripheral walls 1005 that extend downwardfrom the peaks to the cleaning face. In the example shown in FIG. 10,the machine direction of the card (i.e., the direction into which thecard will be inserted into the media transport device) is left-to-rightor right-to-left. The peaks 1003 may be in the form of an apex as shownin FIG. 10, or they may be ledges with walls extending down from a flatledge surface. The discrete raised areas may extend from only one sideof the cleaning face, or they may extend from opposing sides of thecleaning face as shown in FIG. 10.

In any of the embodiments described above, the cleaning face(s) of thecleaning substrate may be textured to provide additional cleaningfunction (e.g., by applying friction to belts that pass over thecleaning substrate). The cleaning face(s) also may include a materialsuch as a meshed loop structure that entangles dirt to trap it.

FIG. 8 further illustrates a method of using a cleaning system such asthat described above. The method includes accessing the media transportdevice via a portal into which a first cleaning substrate may be placed(step 801). Optionally, the portal may be a portal that is notaccessible during normal operation of the device. For example, theportal may not be a currency acceptor slot that is used during normaloperation to insert currency into the media transport device. Instead,the portal will be formed by opening one or more of the modules thatform the media travel pathway. Alternatively, the substrate may bepartially or fully inserted through the currency acceptor slot or otherportal. The cleaning substrate will be inserted into a media travelpathway of the media transport device through the portal. The cleaningsubstrate may be placed into position with or without operating themotor that actuates the media conveyors (i.e., belts and/or rollers) ofthe media transport device (step 802).

In some embodiments, the media transport device may detect that acleaning substrate has been placed into the media travel pathway, and ifso it may automatically change its mode of operation to a cleaning moderather than a normal operating mode. The cleaning mode may differ fromthe normal mode in that, for example, it may hold the cleaning substratein a particular location for a defined period of time before moving thesubstrate to a next section, or it may adjust the pressure applied tothe substrate, or it may override a “device jam” alert and permit themedia conveyors to turn even though the cleaning substrate is not movingthrough the machine in a normal mode of operation. Detection that thesubstrate is a cleaning substrate may occur by any suitable means, suchas by manual input, by detecting a shape of the substrate, or by usingimage processing to detect a code or other identifying indicia that isprinted on the substrate.

If the cleaning substrate includes scarifying holes, the scarifyingholes may be aligned to rollers, belts, sensors and/or other selectedcomponents of the media transport device that are in the media travelpathway. If the cleaning substrate includes one more flaps for cleaninga belt, one or more belts may be positioned over or under the flap(s).The cleaning substrate may remain fully within the media travel pathway.Alternatively, a portion of the cleaning substrate may extend out fromthe media travel pathway, such as through a currency acceptor slot, solong as enough of the cleaning substrate remains within the pathway toprovide a cleaning function. If opened, the portal to the first sectionwill then be closed (step 803) so that at least some of the belts orrollers contact the first cleaning substrate.

A first section of the media transport device will thus receive thecleaning substrate through the portal, and the substrate will then bemoved within the pathway (step 804) to clean various components of thepathway. For example, an operator may grasp a handle of the cleaningsubstrate, insert a body of the cleaning substrate into a portal of themedia transport device, and jostle the handle to move the body through arange of positions within the pathway to cause the scarifying holesand/or belts of the body to clean the rollers, belts and/or othercomponents of the pathway over the range of positions.

In addition, or alternatively, a motor of the media transport device maybe operated so that the belts or rollers move, contact the firstcleaning substrate and are cleaned while the first cleaning substrate ispositioned within the first section of the media transport device (step805). For example, while the cleaning substrate is in the first section,scarifying holes that align with the media conveyors (e.g., belts orrollers) may contact and clean the media conveyors while the mediatransport device is operated. The motors may be used to help move thesubstrate over a range of positions, or the motor may be operated toturn the belts or rollers while an operator grasps the handle and holdsthe substrate in a position or range of positions.

The device may then be turned off (i.e., powered down or moved to anidle mode in which the belts and rollers of the media travel pathway arenot operated), and portal(s) will be opened to withdraw the cleaningsubstrate(s) from the media travel pathway (step 807) so that it mayoptionally be reinserted in a different position. Alternatively, if aportion of the substrate extends from the portal, the substrate may bewithdrawn (step 807) via the handle.

Optionally, before opening the first section and placing the cleaningsubstrate through the portal, the method may include operating the mediatransport device and, while operating the motor, placing a secondcleaning substrate (step 810) that includes a cleaning solution into asecond portal that is accessible during operation of the motor so thatthe second cleaning card is received into, and moves through the mediatransport device, and the cleaning solution contacts the belts orrollers while the second cleaning substrate moves through the mediatransport device. In this way, cleaning solution may be applied to themedia travel pathway before the stationary card is inserted, and thestationary card may then require little or no cleaning solution. Thisalso may help pre-clean the components of the media travel pathwaybefore the stationary cleaning substrates are inserted.

Optionally, after moving the substrate in the pathway (step 804) and/oroperating the media transport device so that the belts or rollers turn,contact the first cleaning substrate and are cleaned (step 805), if aportal was opened to place the substrate in the pathway the method mayinclude re-opening the portal to expose access to a section of mediatravel pathway and repositioning the cleaning substrate to a secondposition in the section according to a second alignment position (step806). That portal may then be closed, and the substrate will again bemoved, and/or the motor of the media transport device will be againoperated, so that at least some of the belts or rollers contact thecleaning substrate and are further cleaned while the cleaning substrateis in the second position.

Alternatively, rather than powering down the device and opening thesections, operation of the media transport device may cause the cleaningsubstrate to move to a second section. If so, the media conveyors maymove the cleaning substrate between the section as they do withcurrency. The scarifying holes, flaps and/or cleaning face of thecleaning substrate will then clean the media conveyors and otherfeatures of the second section. In this embodiment, if the mediatransport device is operating in a cleaning mode, it may move the deviceto the second section after a threshold period of time, or in responseto a manual input, or when it detects that the cleaning substrate hasachieved a threshold level of cleaning in the first section. Detectionof the threshold level of cleaning may occur by using a camera tocapturing images of the cleaning substrate and processing the images todetermine when patterns associated with dirt appear at locations on thesubstrate that are expected to become dirty after cleaning. Optionally,the opacity or grayscale value of the markings in these areas may bemonitored, and cleaning may be determined to have completed when athreshold opacity or grayscale level is achieved.

FIG. 12 further illustrates a method of using a cleaning system such asthat described above. The method includes accessing a media travelpathway the media transport device via a hatch into which a firstcleaning substrate may be placed (step 1201). Optionally, the hatch maybe a portal that is not accessible during normal operation of thedevice. For example, the hatch may not be a media acceptor slot that isused during normal operation to insert currency into the media transportdevice. Instead, the hatch will be formed by opening one or more of themodules that form the media travel pathway. Alternatively, the substratemay be partially or fully inserted through the media acceptor slot orother opening. A first cleaning substrate will be inserted into a mediatravel pathway of the media transport device through the hatch. Thiscleaning substrate may be a card containing a pull tab, such as thatshown in FIG. 11, or it may be a card of other embodiments. Thepretreatment substrate may be placed into position with or withoutoperating the motor that actuates the media conveyors (i.e., beltsand/or rollers) of the media transport device (step 1202).

In some embodiments, the media transport device may detect that acleaning substrate has been placed into the media travel pathway, and ifso it may automatically change its mode of operation to a cleaning moderather than a normal operating mode, and it may then operate in thecleaning mode. The cleaning mode may differ from the normal mode inthat, for example, it may hold the cleaning substrate in a particularlocation for a defined period of time before moving the substrate to anext section, or it may adjust the pressure applied to the substrate, orit may override a “device jam” alert and permit the media conveyors toturn even though the cleaning substrate is not moving through themachine in a normal mode of operation. Detection that the substrate is acleaning substrate may occur by any suitable means, such as by manualinput, by detecting a shape of the substrate, or by using imageprocessing to detect a code or other identifying indicia that is printedon the substrate.

The hatch to the first section will then be closed (step 1203) so thatat least some of the belts or rollers contact the first cleaningsubstrate. A first section of the media transport device will thusreceive the cleaning substrate through the hatch. Optionally, the mediatransport device may then be operated for a period of time (such as10-30 seconds) that is sufficient to transfer cleaning solution from thefirst cleaning substrate to various components within the pathway (step1204) while belts, rollers or other components of the pathway move overor under the substrate. Operation of the device may include operatingthe device's motor, and/or manually turning one or more belts or rollersin the transport path. However, operation of the device in this step isoptional. The operator may then grasp the handle (by hand or with agripping tool) of the first cleaning substrate and remove it from themedia pathway (step 1205) through a second portal of the device, eitherafter operation of the device has stopped or while the device is stilloperating. (Or simply after the substrate has been positioned in thepathway, without operating a motor of the device.)

Optionally, the technician may repeat steps 1201-1205 one or more times,each time repositioning the substrate in the pathway at the samelocation or in one or more different locations of the pathway. Aftersteps 1201-1205 are completed, if no further cards are to be placed inthe pathway the process may end (step 1215). However, after pretreatmentis completed, the technician may then place a second cleaning substrateinto the media transport pathway (step 1211). The technical may do thisby opening the pathway and placing the second cleaning card into it, orby feeding the second substrate into a media acceptor of the device sothat the second substrate moves along the pathway. As noted above, thesecond substrate is typically dry (but optionally contains a cleaningsolution).

If the second cleaning substrate includes scarifying holes, thescarifying holes may be aligned to rollers, belts, sensors and/or otherselected components of the media transport device that are in the mediatravel pathway. If the second cleaning substrate includes one more flapsfor cleaning a belt, one or more belts may be positioned over or underthe flap(s). The cleaning substrate may remain fully within the mediatravel pathway. Alternatively, a portion of the second cleaningsubstrate may extend out from the media travel pathway, such as througha currency acceptor slot, so long as enough of the second cleaningsubstrate remains within the pathway to provide a cleaning function.

In addition, or alternatively, a motor of the media transport device maybe operated so that the belts or rollers move, contact the secondcleaning substrate and are cleaned while the second cleaning substrateis positioned within a section of the media transport device (step1212). For example, while the cleaning substrate is in a first section,scarifying holes that align with the media conveyors (e.g., belts orrollers) may contact and clean the media conveyors while the mediatransport device is operated. The motors may be used to help move thesubstrate over a range of positions, or the motor may be operated toturn the belts or rollers while an operator grasps the handle and holdsthe substrate in a position or range of positions.

Optionally, in the process described above, the first cleaning substratemay in fact include multiple stacked pretreatment and/or cleaning cards.If so, then in step 1202 the technician may place the stack ofsubstrates together in the pathway. The technician may then run thedevice in step 1204 and selectively pull individual cards from the stackin step 1205. For example, the technician may pull the top card from thestack and/or the bottom card from the stack, while the middle card(s)remain in place. In this way, the middle card(s) may add friction andapply moisture to the device's belts and/or rollers as the top and/orbottom card is pulled from the transport path. If the cards will berepositioned (step 1217), the repositioned cards may include all cardsfrom the original stack, or the repositioned cards may include a subsetof the original cards. These techniques with multiple stacked cards mayallow a longer pretreatment time, as well as the removal of cards thatmay have become dirty, and more movement of cards within the transportpathway to provide a better cleaning result. When this happens, theindividual cards within the stack may include scarifying holes,embossments and/or other structures such as those discussed earlier inthis document to further clean the rollers, belts and other componentsas the cards are pulled from the path. Each card may include the samepattern, or different cards in the stack may include different patterns.The device may then be turned off (i.e., powered down or moved to anidle mode in which the belts and rollers of the media travel pathway arenot operated), and the hatch through which the second substrate wasplaced may be opened to withdraw the second cleaning substrate from themedia travel pathway (step 1215) so that it may optionally be reinsertedin a different position. Alternatively, in step 1215 if a portion of thesubstrate extends from the portal, the substrate may be withdrawn viathe portal.

Alternatively, rather than powering down the device and opening thesections, operation of the media transport device may cause the secondcleaning substrate to move to a second section. If so, the mediaconveyors may move the second cleaning substrate between the sections asthey do with normal (i.e., non-cleaning) media. The scarifying holes,flaps discrete raised areas and/or cleaning face of the second cleaningsubstrate will then clean the media conveyors and other features of thesecond section. In this embodiment, if the media transport device isoperating in a cleaning mode, it may move the second cleaning substrateto the second section after a threshold period of time, or in responseto a manual input, or when it detects that the cleaning substrate hasachieved a threshold level of cleaning in the first section. Detectionof the threshold level of cleaning may occur by using a camera tocapturing images of the second cleaning substrate and processing theimages to determine when patterns associated with dirt appear atlocations on the second cleaning substrate that are expected to becomedirty after cleaning. Optionally, the opacity or grayscale value of themarkings in these areas may be monitored, and cleaning may be determinedto have completed when a threshold opacity or grayscale level isachieved.

FIG. 9 illustrates that in any of the embodiments described above, thecleaning substrate 901 may be attached to a scroll 902. The cleaningsubstrate may include scarifying holes 911-913 that move through thedevice and clean various elements as the cleaning substrate is withdrawnfrom the scroll 902 and moved into the media transport device. Thecleaning substrate 901 (which may include a cleaning face and/or anon-cleaning face of the substrate) may be wrapped around a roller 921of the scroll and withdrawn from a housing 922 of the scroll through anopening in the housing 922. A retraction mechanism 923 such as a springmay create a force that causes the roller 921 to wind in a directionthat will tend to withdraw the cleaning substrate 901 back into thehousing 922 around the roller 921. A clutch 923 may hold the roller inplace and prevent the roller 921 from withdrawing the cleaning substrateinto the scroll until the clutch 924 is released. When cleaning iscompleted, the clutch 924 may be released, which will permit thecleaning substrate 901 to be retracted by the retraction mechanism 923and wrapped around the roller 921 inside of the scroll housing 922.(FIG. 9 shows shapes representing the retraction mechanism and clutch asbeing outside of the housing, but this is for purposes of illustrationonly; these elements also may be positioned inside of the housing.)

The methods and systems described above may result in significant timesavings as compared to manual cleaning. In addition, they can helpensure that cleaning occurs in small and/or hard-to-reach segmentswithin the media transport device.

The features and functions described above, as well as alternatives, maybe combined into many other different systems or applications. Variousalternatives, modifications, variations or improvements may be made bythose skilled in the art, each of which is also intended to beencompassed by the disclosed embodiments.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of cleaning a media travel pathwayof a media transport device, comprising: inserting a portion of acleaning substrate into a media travel pathway of a media transportdevice that includes a plurality of media conveyors, sensors or both,wherein: the inserting comprises grasping a handle of the cleaningsubstrate and inserting a body of the cleaning substrate into a portalof the media transport device, and the cleaning substrate includes acleaning face and a plurality of cleaning elements, each of which ispositioned to align with one or more of the media conveyors or sensors;and while holding the handle outside of the portal: moving the cleaningsubstrate within the media transport device and causing, by the moving,the cleaning elements to contact and clean a plurality of the mediaconveyors, sensors or both within the media transport device, and whilemoving the cleaning substrate within the media transport device,operating a motor of the media transport device to further cause thecleaning elements to clean a plurality of the media conveyors.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein moving the cleaning substrate within themedia transport device comprises wiggling the handle outside of themedia transport device.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting atleast a portion of the cleaning substrate in the media transport devicecomprises inserting a cleaning surface that includes the cleaningelements through a media acceptor port of the media transport devicewhile holding the handle of the cleaning substrate outside of the mediatransport device.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting at least aportion of the cleaning substrate in the media transport devicecomprises opening a module that forms the media travel pathway andinserting a cleaning surface that includes the cleaning elements intothe module while holding the handle of the cleaning substrate outside ofthe module.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning elementscomprise one or more of the following: discrete raised areas formed ofpeaks and peripheral walls that slope or otherwise extend from thepeaks; one or more scarifying holes; flaps configured to fit under aplurality of belts of the media transport device; or at least oneopening configured to align with a sensor of the media transport device.6. The method of claim 1, wherein: the handle comprises a gripping areawith a pull tab in the form of a hole or loop within the gripping area;and grasping the handle comprises grasping the pull tab.
 7. The methodof claim 1, wherein the handle is wider than the cleaning face.